The English opener Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of comments from skipper Ben Stokes about the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes made this message in multiple conversations following England's loss in the second Ashes against the Australians previously.
Ahead of the third Test, where England are staring at a series loss with a match to spare, the captain stated he had let his message to "drift around" among the playing group.
"I've done all the talking in recent days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader.
However, following Crawley scored 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the media with a pinch of salt," he added.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
The captain issued his "weak men" observation subsequent to England suffered a loss in the second Test to go two matches behind.
The England squad subsequently took a break to Noosa between the second and third matches.
Before this match, Stokes revealed his players had held "honest" conversations and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their battle to remain alive in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, Crawley stated the messaging from the captain and head coach McCullum had remained in line with their prior three years in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, unchanged," said the opener. "It's just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with great liberty. We believed we were capable of something special going into this Test."
The Hosts Close of Rapid Series Victory
The opener's dismissal late on Saturday was part of a crucial three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in a short spell – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Stokes himself – meant England six down for 207 chasing a daunting target of 435.
Consequently, the home team need just four more wickets on the final day to secure an unassailable three-nil lead after three Tests.
Defeat would prolong the English team's winless run in this country to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth successive away Ashes series defeat.
This series is set to be decided in only 11 days of play – after England losing the initial matches in two and four days respectively.
Not since 1921, when Australia completed victory in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been determined so quickly. The hosts have also won in eleven days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"This is disappointing," admitted the batsman. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel at this point."
"There remains plenty to play for and we'll certainly approach it like that," Crawley added.
"It's been difficult. They're a formidable side. It was inevitably tough touring here to face them. They entered as the front-runners and they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Place In Question
While the opener's innings in the third Test probably answers questions about his immediate future in the England team, Pope looks under immense pressure for his spot in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 runs in the team's second knock on Saturday, extending his poor record versus the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a half-century and averages 17.62.
Only one other English batsman in over a century – Amiss – has featured as many times in the top six in Ashes Tests and recorded a lower average.
However, Crawley said any notion his teammate is under the microscope comes from "the media" – referring to the press – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," said he. "He has had a good year to be frank."
"He has played some really good knocks. This is talk from the outside. There's no chat of that nature on Ollie amongst the players," he finished.
